Health-Care Waste: Knowledge of Primary Care nurses

exploratory, descriptive and quantitative approach. The research was carried out with nurses of 16 FHU of the municipality of São Carlos-SP. Data were collected through an interview using a tool validated and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

it is noteworthy that 68.7% (11) of the nurses did not know how to describe how chemical waste was sorted. In addition, regarding the treatment of HCW, 50.0% (8) of the nurses did not know if the general waste were subjected to some type of treatment.

Conclusion:

the HCW management can be considered a challenge in the nurses' agenda inserted in the Primary Care services, which refers to the need to implement periodic training on the management of this waste.

Descriptors:
Health-Care Waste; Waste Management; Primary Health Care; Nursing; Public Health

Characteristics	Amount	Number of nurses	% of nurses
Amount of HCW Per Day	3 kg - 6 kg	5	31.2
	30 l - 50 l	3	18.7
	50 l - 70 l	1	6.2
	70 l - 90 l	1	6.2
	Above 100 l	2	12.5
	Did know to inform	4	25
Pathological Waste	1 kg - 3 kg	4	25
	10 l - 20 l	5	31.2
	21 l - 30 l	1	6.2
	Above 30 l	1	6.2
	Did not know to inform	5	31.2
Chemical Waste	1 kg - 3 kg	3	18.7
Chemical Waste	Did not know to inform	13	81.2
Radioactive Waste	Do not produce	16	100
General Waste	1 kg - 4 kg	4	25
	1 l - 2 l	6	37.5
	Above 2 l	1	6.2
	Did not know to inform	5	31.2
Sharps Waste	0,2 kg - 1 kg	4	25
	1 l - 2 l	6	37.5
	Above 2 l	1	6.2
	Did not know to inform	5	31.2

Waste	Sorting	Number of nurses	% of nurses
Pathological	Waste disposed in the white bag	6	37.5
	Waste contaminated with blood and other bodily fluids	9	56.2
	Professional who handles and sorts the waste	1	6.2
Chemical	Hypochlorite and detergent waste	2	12.5
	X-ray developer and amalgam waste	1	6.2
	Waste disposed in the black bag	1	6.2
	Did not know to inform	11	68.7
	Professional who handles and sorts the waste	1	6.2
General	Paper, packaging, food waste and material without bodily fluids	8	50.0
	Waste disposed in black bags	7	43.8
	Professional who handles and sorts the waste	1	6.2
Sharps	Waste like needles, scalpels and lancets	8	50.0
	Waste disposed in the descarpack (waste disposal brand)	7	43.7
	Professional who handles and sorts the waste	1	6.2

Characteristics	Waste	Description	Number of nurses	% of nurses
Packaging	Pathological	Trash cans with pedal and lid	13	81.2
Packaging	Pathological	White bags	3	18.7
	Chemical	Common trash can	2	12.5
		Launched into the sewer	1	6.2
		Non-specific plastic packaging	1	6.2
		Did not know to inform	12	75.0
	General	Open trash cans without pedal and black bag	5	31.2
		Trash cans with pedal and lid	8	50.0
		Black bags	3	18.7
	Sharps	Box with sharps	16	100
Identification	Pathological	White package	15	93.7
Identification	Pathological	White package and symbol	1	6.2
	Chemical	Black package	2	12.5
		Transparent Gallon	1	6.2
		Did not know to inform	13	81.2
	General	Black package	15	93.7
	General	Black package and symbol	1	6.2
	Sharps	Own package	16	100

Characteristics	Description	Number of nurses	% of nurses
Internal collection (Routine)	There are routes and schedules set	11	68.7
Internal collection (Routine)	No routes and times set	5	31.2
Internal collection (Frequency)	Once a day	5	31.2
	Twice a day	8	50.0
	Three times a day	2	12.5
	According to the Unit flow	1	6.2
Internal storage place	Yes	3	18.7
Internal storage place	No	13	81.2
Transportation to external shelter	Carried out manually	16	100
External collection (Frequency)	Once a week (all waste groups)	2	12.5
	Three times a week (all waste groups)	1	6.2
	Once a week (GA/GE) and three times a week (GD)	7	43.7
	Twice a week (GA/GE) and three times a week (GD)	3	18.7
	Once a week (GA/GE) and twice a week week (GD)	3	18.7

Characteristics	Waste	Description	Number of nurses	% of nurses
Treatment	Pathological	Autoclave	1	6.2
		Incineration	11	68.7
		Did not know to inform	4	25
	Cheminal	Did not know to inform	16	100
	General	Recycling	2	12.5
		Composting	2	12.5
		Incineration	1	6.2
		Sanitary landfill	1	6.2
		Landfill sites	2	12.5
		Did not know to inform	8	50
	Sharps	Incineration	10	62.5
		Did not receive treatment	1	6.2
		Did not know to inform	5	31.2
Final disposal		Sanitary landfill	5	31.2
		Controlled landfill	1	6.2
		Waste is biodegradable	1	6.2
		Did not know to inform	9	56.2

Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem SGA Norte Quadra 603 Conj. "B" - Av. L2 Norte 70830-102 Brasília, DF, Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3226-0653, Fax: (55 61) 3225-4473 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: reben@abennacional.org.br

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Silvia Carla da Silva André. E-mail: silviacarla@ufscar.br